


The Bird and Blacksmith

by SeekNotToAlterMe



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 18:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6090031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeekNotToAlterMe/pseuds/SeekNotToAlterMe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Elizabeth just wasn't into William? What if Jack was only doing his duty? What if William found that he did actually enjoy pirating?</p>
<p>And if Jack had a sister?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Done up to the end of Curse of the Black Pearl</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Book I, Part i

The large ship approached the island with such obvious intent, that the woman sitting on it had to acknowledge that someone was indeed coming to rescue her. Damn them, she thought. I don't need rescuing. It became more and more apparent, however, that she needed rescuing to one of the men on the boat.

'Jack,' the man called to the other. 'The woman's handcuffed to the tree!'

'I know,' replied Jack. 'I've ignored her before. It really isn't necessary to get her. She'll be fine.'

'She won't! She's as skinny as a rake, and there's no food for her.'

'She doesn't eat.'

It was true. The woman had stopped eating a long time ago. It in fact, made her quite ill to see someone eat.

'You're making no sense, Jack.' Jack grinned at the other man. When they got as close to the island as they could, the man got into a row boat and rowed to shore. 'Madam!' he called.

'I'm no madam, boy,' she laughed. She sat, her back against the tree, her hands behind her.

'What's your name, then, miss?'

'I'm no maid either, boy. I'll not be givin' my name to someone who's own name I do not in fact know. So please, sir, would you give me yours?'

'I'm no knight,' he countered, an eyebrow raised. Nevertheless, he bowed at the waist and flourished his arm. 'William Turner, at your service.'

'No,' the woman breathed. Louder, she added, 'If you're in my service, William Turner, unchain me.'

He inclined his head and moved to the tree to which her hands were tied. There was no key in sight, so he unsheathed his sword and attempted to hack the chains apart. Sparks flew but nothing happened.

'Cut the damned tree down, Mr Turner, and I'll see to me own handcuffs.' He did as he was told, and the tree fell down. The woman shimmied her way off the tree and did a convoluted jump twist move to get her hands in front of her. William's eyes widened at her agility. 'Be that your ship, Mr Turner?' She gestured at the large ship that had anchored just off the shore of the island.

'Well,' he started. 'I guess it is.' He sounded unsure.

'Am I welcome aboard?'

'Of course, miss,' he paused for her name, but she swept ahead of him and into the row boat. He shook his head and ran for the boat that had already started moving out. 'Really, I saved your life, and you were going to take off without me?'

The woman laughed. 'Of course not.' William somehow didn't believe her. He sat idly by, admiring the woman who was rowing the boat, her hands still cuffed together. Her dark brown hair fell in loose curls that grouped together in small bunches. Her skin would have been lovely and fair if not for the tan that had scorched it to a caramel colour. The set of her mouth and nose were familiar to William, although he couldn't place the memory. Her eyes were golden brown, and they had the look of startling anyone who wasn't prepared. Her shirt was off-white, rolled up at the sleeves and the neckline hung open, the leather ties dangling. Her loose brown pants had been tucked into knee-high black boots which sported wooden heels. Her hair was pulled back from her face with a navy blue scarf, and her ears had many holes through which she had hooped rings of gold. William thought she was very pretty, maybe even beautiful, but she was no Elizabeth, his one love.

When they reached the ship, a rope ladder was flung down. William scurried up and threw down two other ropes. The woman attached them to the stern and aft of the row boat and allowed herself and the boat to be hoisted up. She got out once she reached the necessary height and looked around. She caught sight of a man at the wheel. She took once step closer to confirm what she saw before she turned on William.

'You dare bring me here?' She wanted to know. 'With him?' She jerked her thumb at the man who was trying not to smile at the woman in her rage. Her chains rattled with every movement.

'Ah, so you know him then,' William said, attempting to soothe her.

'Of course I know him! Why shouldn't I know my own brother?'

'Pardon?' William asked, astonished.

'This is my sister, Mags Sparrow.' The other man had come up behind her silently and slung an arm around her shoulder. He grinned lopsidedly at William, and the younger man saw at once the similarity in their two faces. They were of the same build as well, slight and agile, but decidedly deadly.

'Get off me, Jack,' Mags said, shrugging his arm off.

'Oi! It's-'

'Captain Jack, I know,' Mags fought the smile that grew on her face, but she eventually gave in and the siblings went in for a hug after Jack had unlocked her handcuffs with the key he had been given for them a few months previously.

They pulled back and looked at each other. Jack shook at his sister and shook his head, his dreadlocks bounced together. Mags rolled her eyes at her wild brother, although, she supposed, she wasn't much better.

'Why the hell are there two Sparrows?' William wondered. He shrugged, picked up a whetstone and started to sharpen his blade. There was no point in going too deep, there was nothing to be done for it.

'For a man who's made an industry of avoiding boats, you're a quick study.' Jack said, walking past him.

'I worked passage from England as a cabin boy. After my mother passed, I came out here, looking for my father.'

'Is that so?'

'My father. William Turner?' Mags sucked in a breath. He has no idea, she thought to herself. William continued. 'I'm not a simpleton. At the jail, it was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help. Since that's what I wanted, I didn't press the matter. But now, you knew my father.'

Jack stayed silent so Mags spoke up. 'I knew him. Probably one of the few who knew him as William Turner. Most everyone just called him Bill, or "Bootstrap" Bill. '

'Bootstrap?'

'Good man. Good pirate. And clever,' Jack finally replied. 'I never met anyone with as clever a mind and hands as him. When you were puzzling out that cell door, it was like seeing his twin.'

'That's not true.'

'I swear,' Jack started.

'You look just like him.' Mags finished off.

'It's not true that my father was a pirate,' William protested.

'Figured you wouldn't want to hear it,' Jack sighed.

'He was a merchant marine! He was a respectable man who obeyed the law, and followed the rules-'

Jack laughed. 'You think your father is the only man who ever lived the Glasgow life, telling folks one thing, and then going off to do another? There's quite a few who come here, hoping to amass enough swag to ease the burdens of respectable life. And they're all "merchant marines." '

'My father did not think of my mother - his family - as a burden.'

'Aye, because he could always go pirating,' Mags tried to make William see.

'My father,' William whipped out his sword and pointed it threateningly at Mags. 'Was not a pirate!'

'Put it away, Will. It's not worth getting beat again.' Jack sighed. Mags smirked, she could best anyone, minus her brother, they always lost against each other.

'You didn't beat me. You ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd kill you,' William said heatedly.

Mags snorted. 'Rules of engagement? Who'd you learn those from? The bloody King? Since when did pirates fight fairly?'

'It's not much incentive for me to fight fair, is it?' Jack kicked a lever. The sail boom whipped around and slammed William in the chest, hard. He was swept off the ship and his sword clattered onto the deck. Will dangled above the water, hanging tightly to the boom. Jack jerked his head at Mags, and she ran over to take the wheel. Jack picked up the sword and poked William with it. William scooched away from the blade, to the end of the boom.

'As long as you're just hanging there,' Mags snickered. Jack raised an eyebrow at her, but continued. 'Pay attention. Must, should, do, don't, shall, shall not, those are just suggestions. There are only two absolute rules. What a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance: you can accept that your father was a pirate and still a good man... or you can't. Now me, I can sail this ship to Tortuga, with Mags here... But I can't just let you drown.'

William's face cleared in relief. Jack swung the boom back in and William dropped to the deck. The Captain offered the hilt of the sword to William and he begrudgingly took it. Will turned and strode to his spot on the deck, sat down, and resumed sharpening his sword. Jack breathed a silent sigh of relief that Mags noticed. They stood close together, by the wheel.

'Not a pirate then,' Mags said.

'Unfortunately not.'

'We're going to Tortuga?'

'As always,' Jack grinned. Will heard their hushed voices and caught a few words here and there. He repeated Tortuga at them as a question. Jack laughed. 'Oh, did I forget to mention that?'

William returned to his thoughts and the siblings to their conversation.

'Why him?' Mags wondered aloud.

'He had drive. Plus I needed someone else to run a ship, and since you had given me explicit instructions to leave you alone unless absolutely necessary, I turned to him. Plus there's the bonus of his father being ol' Bootstrap.'

'What's his drive?'

'A girl,' Jack sighed.

'It always is,' Mags agreed. 'Why'd you let him pick me up?'

'Something about his rules of being a gentleman. Something about saving those in need. Nonsense, really.'

Mags nodded. 'As long as we aren't dealing with Hector, I'm fine.' Jack coughed awkwardly. There was a pause as Mags tried to reason out his silence. When she realized, she sucked in a breath. 'Jack, you bloody bastard! You promised me you wouldn't make me see him again! You know what he does to me.'

Jack nodded. 'I know, Mags, I know. But he's got the girl, Elizabeth. You could just hide below decks and hope for the best.'

'I wish it worked like that.' Mags cast a disdainful glance at her brother and sat next to William. 'So, this girl, Elizabeth, tell me about her.'

His face lit up. 'She's stunning. Alas, she's the daughter of the Governor at Port Royal, so I can't have her.'

'But you love her anyway?'

'Yes. She's kind and thoughtful. She knows her own mind too, which is admirable. She's got long blonde hair that's slightly wavy. Her brown eyes are enchanting and her mouth has this funny quirk to it that lights up my world.'

'She sounds like quite the woman.'

'She is. Unfortunately, she utterly and devotedly loves the new Commodore Norrington.'

'Ah! The most unfortunate of circumstances.'

'Yes,' William got up, sheathed his sword and walked away.

'He's a bit touchy,' she called over to her brother, when William had gone.

'Aye, Will's had a rough coupl'a days.'

'What happened?'

'My crew attacked the Port shortly after midnight and bombed much, and stole Elizabeth.'

'What for?'

'What pirate doesn't want a pretty girl?'

'Aye, but that one?'

'Past me.'

Mags spent the night gazing at the stars, while steering the ship towards Tortuga. She couldn't sleep, and wouldn't pretend to, so she let the men sleep the night away.

Early the next morning she cried, 'Land ho!'

Tortuga was a dank and dirty port, where the tides seem to have swept together the scum of the Caribbean, pirates, privateers, prostitutes, thieves, and drunkards. Its decks were half rotten, and dirty people and animals roamed about, minding the slime covered rocks and the deteriorating wood. The siblings anchored their boat aways off-shore and out of sight.

'Into the boat, then!' Mags called to the men when she had it set up.

'You're not coming with us?' Will asked, disappointed.

'No, lad. Someone's gotta watch the boat, while you two find a crew. Besides, there are more people there I'd rather not deal with if I had the choice.' She smiled gently at him. 'It'll be fun. Go 'head with Jack. He knows what he's doing.'

Jack and William hopped into the row boat and settled down. As they were lowered, Mags called out to them again. 'Be careful, Jack! You've angered many a pretty maid!'

'They're no maids, Mags!' he called back. She laughed.

'Go on, then!'

Late the next day, a ragged group of men rowed up to the ship. Mags let them aboard and then stood next to Jack.

'Who've we got, then?' she asked, eyeing the group.

'A third of the lot we first had.' Jack motioned to a man at the head of the group. He stood straighter, and as he looked up, he caught sight of Jack's sister.

'Ah, Mags, lovely ta see you again,' he greeted, walking over to the woman. 'Last I heard you were being chased down by the Spanish, the British and the Black Pearl.'

'I've settled my differences with the Spanish, the British believe I am dead and the Black Pearl has many stories of my death or my dealings with the Flying Dutchman. None of which are true.'

'Aye, well, its good news to hear you've not been with Davvy Jones,' Gibbs smiled in relief.

'So, Gibbs, who've we got?' Mags asked.

'Feast your eyes, darlin'. All of 'em good, sea-faring men, faithful hands before the mast, every one worth his salt, and crazy, to boot.' Gibbs smiled, proud of the ragged group of sailors he managed to drag up.

Mags held up a hand to stop Gibbs. She moved to inspect them herself. When she noticed an old friend, AnaMaria, in line, in pants as opposed to her usual choice of a dress, Mags raised an eyebrow.

'He owes me a boat,' she smiled. Mags nodded and continued down the line. All looked much like Gibbs said. Good sailors with a touch of crazy. She stopped in front of one man with a large, brightly coloured parrot on his shoulder.

'Nice parrot, sailor,' she grinned. 'But it isn't strictly necessary to have one to be a pirate.' Jack and Gibbs chuckled. The man himself opened his mouth to show the absence of a tongue. 'Ah,' she said, turning slightly to the parrot. 'So it's you I should be directing my questions to.'

The parrot sqwaked and the screamed, 'Wind in your sails! Wind in your sails!'

'That doesn't precisely answer my question, Sir Parrot.'

'Mostly, that seem to mean 'yes',' Jack said. 'This sailor's name is Cotton. And this is Cotton's parrot.'

Cotton nodded vigorously, and the parrot fell silent.

'Alright, then,' Mags smiled. She stepped back from the line.

'We are to sail for the Isla de Muerta, to rescue the daughter of Governor Swann. You all know this. Now, all hands on deck!' Jack said, his captainly swagger back in his voice, and he strutted away to the wheel.

'He's back!' Mags sang, laughing.

The sky clouded over suddenly and a low rumble of thunder purred across the water. In under two hours, the rain was pelting down and Jack was no longer at the helm. A flash of lightening illuminated the taut canvas of the sails and the grinning faces of the Sparrow siblings. The ship rocked as it dropped into the valley of huge swell, and then climbed up the other side.

The crew scurried about their tasks, pulling lines and trimming sails. Excellent sailors, if someone asked either of the Sparrows, but it still took everything they have to keep the ship afloat.

A deafening wind pushed the hair of their faces, eyes intent on their course. Gibbs climbed the tilted deck toward them.

'We'd best drop canvas, sir!' Gibbs advised the two. As much as he liked Mags, it was odd for him not to be first mate under Jack.

'She can hold a bit longer,' Mags said, as if she was shoving his lack of role in Gibbs' face. The wind picked up, howling. Some sailors were tossed from one side of the ship to the other as the ship mounted and descended each behemoth wave. Jack smiled, insane with the joy of being Captain of a crew once more.

'What's in your head to put you in such a fine mood?' Gibbs shouts over the chaos.

'We're catching up!' Jack shouted back, and sure enough, on the crest of the next wave, the miniature shape of the Black Pearl appeared before it disappeared into the next trough.

Mags face turned sour at the realization. She scowled at Jack and at the distant ship before reaching into her brothers coat and bringing out his compass.

'Don't break it,' he warned, but otherwise let her be. She opened it, frightened of its powers. The needle swung around wildly, first, at the half-finished bottle of rum. She grinned and took a swig. She looked at the compass needle and found it whipping back and forth at opposites. First at the Black Pearl, and she knew, Hector Barbossa, and then behind her, into their own ship.

Mags gave the compass back and walked away, wondering what was on board that she craved so dearly, as much as her former lover, Barbossa.

'Can't see why you hate him, when you so clearly want him,' Jack laughed at her, guessing at her mood.

'Stuff it, Jack. You're no better at your own heart.'

Jack turned back to the sea, enjoying himself. Gibbs stared at him, thinking him the craziest man he knew.

Two days after, Jack stood at the prow of the boat, huddled over his compass. Over his shoulder, he called, 'Bear three points starboard!' AnaMaria, at the stern, turned the wheel, adjusting course. As the ship leaned into the new direction. Jack looked down, 'Six points port!' AnaMaria frowned, but followed the order at a nod from Mags, who was double checking Jack's readings. The ship turned again, and William looked up from his work, unimpressed. When the ship shifted again, William stared at Mags, angry now.

'How do we expect to find an island no one can find with a compass that doesn't work?' He turned to Gibbs, who was working alongside him.

'Now, lad,' Gibbs began sagely. 'Just because it don't point north don't mean it don't work. That compass gives bearings to the Isla de Muerta, wherever it may lie.'

'Really?' William nodded at Mags, who had returned his stare. She smiled and resumed her sisterly annoyances. 'So, what's the story on the pistol?'

Gibbs' face brightened, he loved telling stories, but didn't get the opportunity often. 'I'll tell ye. Now, Jack Sparrow has an honest streak in him, and that's where the whole problem starts. This was when he was Captain of the Black Pearl -'

Will cut him off. ' What? He never told me that.'

'Ah, he's learned, then. Plays things more close to the vest. See, Jack was a cartographer, back in Old England. Somehow he came by the money to commission the Pearl. Hired himself a crew, promised each man an equal share.

'So, they're forty days out, and the First Mate says, if everything's an equal share, that should mean the location of the island, too. So Jack gave up the bearings. That night, there was mutiny. Jack gave himself up for the sake of his loyal crewmen. He was marooned on an island, left there to die.' Gibbs' voice was now a whisper.

'How did he get off the island?' William asked.

'I didn't!' Jack shouted from beside them. Will and Gibbs jumped at the sudden shock.

'His body's still there, rotting away, and he is but a ghost!' Mags yelled from the other side. She turned away, cackling to herself at William and Gibbs' surprised faces.

'How did you get off the island?' Gibbs asked seriously.

'Ah, that's a dark and unpleasant tale, best left untold.' Jack made to follow his sister.

'Wait, what about the pistol?' William asked, he was still naïve in the Pirate Code.

'The pistol,' Jak sighed. 'When a pirate is marooned, Will, he's given a pistol with a single shot. No good for hunting, or surviving, really.'

Mags butt in, ominously. 'But after three weeks of starvation and thirst, the option of that pistol begins to look really good.' She raised two fingers to her temple, pulling the shape of a gun.

The siblings paused, both remembering their seperate maroonings. Jack pulled out the pistol and raised it. 'But I survived. And I still have that single shot. It's meant for one man. My mutinous first mate, and my sister's traitorous lover -'

'Barbossa,' Will said knowingly, glancing at Mags' face which had twisted. Jack shot a glance at Will, nods, and took Mags away to be comforted.


	2. Book I, Part ii

Later that night, unbeknownst to Mags, who had shut herself down below decks, they anchored at the Isla de Muerta. A few shouts alerted her to the situation and she hurried up. Jack was getting on a boat followed by William. Mags quickly climbed in behind him amid the protests of her brother.

'I'm comin' Jack. And if ye think I'm not, ye don't know me.'

'But Mags, what about Barbossa?'

'Try me.' Mags picked up the oars and commenced rowing them to the island. As they approached the rocky shore, the rushing sound of a waterfall grew ever louder. Ten metres off shore, a black cave mouth loomed above them, revealing nothing of the interior.

'What's that?' William asked, his suspicions of the whole endeavour warred with his need to see Miss Swann safe.

'Depends,' Jack said, eyeing his sister worriedly.

'On what?'

'On whether the stories are all true. If they are, that's a waterfall that spills over at high tide, with a short drop to an underground lagoon.' William looked to the other Sparrow to confirm Jack's words, but she remained stonily silent and her face was impassive as well. 'If not,' the Captain continued, but he was cut off when Mags stopped rowing and the boat plunged ahead. 'Well, too late.'

The boat surged ahead and into a gloomy blackness where it was impossible to see anything. After a terrifying drop over the waterfall, the boat landed in the foretold lagoon, safely, and drifted to the sandy shore.

'Chalk one up for the stories,' Jack grinned, but no one was grinning with him.

Will lept out into the water and pulled the boat ashore. The three of them moved silently to the cavern where Barbossa and his mutinous crew stood around a chest full of marked coins. The room surrounding the chest was also golden with treasure hoarded by generations of pirates.

'Here we stand before the cursed treasure of Cortez himself,' Barbossa claimed. He stood behind the chest, in front of all his crew. He held Elizabeth Swann to his side. 'Won by blood, it demands blood in return.'

A balding pirate with a maniacle grin grabbed a stone and iron knife from a pile of gold nearby and approached the trembling girl. Elizabeth shrunk back in fear, but Barbossa held his grip. He was freeing himself of the damned curse if it was the last thing he did. Barbossa took the knife and rashly slit the Lady's hand over an coin, identical to those in the chest, and made her drop her own onto the pile. Elizabeth gasped in pain and curled her hand in fear.

'What was begun by blood, let blood now end!' Hector grinned at the pile beneath him. When seemingly nothing happened, he frowned. The pirates all looked at each other.

'Did it work?' One pirate demanded, breaking the silence.

'I don't feel no different.' Another one, sporting a wooden eye.

'How do we tell?' Another, closer to his Captain.

Barbossa frowned, drew his pistol, and shot the same pirate square in the chest. The pirate looked up, shocked, grabbed his chest, but he wasn't dead.

'You're not dead.' The first pirate observed.

'No,' the one who was shot is still stunned. Upon realizing what had happened, he turned to Barbossa. 'He shot me!'

'It didn't work! The curse is still upon us!' A pirate from the middle of the crowd yelled.

Barbossa searched his mind for an answer and upon coming up empty, turned to Elizabeth.

'You. Maid. Your father. What was his name?!' He grabbed her by her shoulders. Mags, behind a pile of gold, resisted the urge to shove Elizabeth out of the way and be held by her lover again. 'Was your father William Turner?!'

Elizabeth took her time before answering, 'No.'

The pirates cried out in alarm. Barbossa paused, collecting himself and controlling the rage that burned in his heart.

'Where's his child?' he demanded, half expecting Miss Swann to know. 'The child that sailed from England eight years ago, the child who is the real owner of that medallion, the child in whose veins flows the blood of William Turner?! Where?' Barbossa slapped her hard across the face, sending her sprawling.

'You brought us the wrong person!' The shot pirate started up a shouting match between all of them. In the cacaphony, William reached up to Elizabeth, from behind a gold heap. In a moment of wisdom, she grabbed the bloodied coin from the chest and followed William's arm to where the Sparrows were waiting.

'If any coward here dare challenge me, let him speak!' Barbossa silenced them. 'Any more talk, I'll chain ye to a cannon and send ye to the watery depths!'

A pirate called out one last shout. 'I say we cut her throat and spill all her blood, just in case.'

Barbossa snorted. Looking at his monkey, he noticed the blood covered medallion was gone. 'The medallion! She's taken it! Get after her, you feckless pack of ingrates!'

He looked to see William and Elizabeth running away after the Sparrow siblings. In their haste over the piles of gold, they started a minor avalanche. Big enough, however, to plug up the entrance to the small cavern Jack and Mags hid themselves in.

Elizabeth jumped up, silver platter in hand, ready to swing at anyone and everyone. Jack caught her before she could do any damage. A spark of recognition lights up the Lady's eyes.

'You?!' she accused.

'Me!' Jack agreed.

'Her?' Mags looked at the girl in front of her, utterly confused. Why would Jack know her and why did William find her enticing? Her blonde hair was dull, her brown eyes forgettable, and all of a sudden, Mags realized what the compass had been pointing to.

'You're in league with Barbossa!' Elizabeth broke her reverie, and ignored the second Sparrow completely.

'No, I'm rescuing you.'

'You?!'

'Me!' The exchange from a few moments ago was repeated and Mags found herself snickering. It was then that Elizabeth turned to the Sparrow girl.

'Who are you?'

'I'm Jack's -' But she was cut off by William.

'Miss Swann! We're here to rescue you!' At the sound of approaching pirates, he grimaced. 'It's going badly!'

'This won't work,' Jack made a quick decision. 'I'll stay behind, and fight them. You three go on.'

William and Elizabeth stared at him. At the same time, William and Mags said, 'No.'

'I'll lead them away,' Jack reasoned. The sounds were closer. 'Go to the opposite end of the island, and signal the ship. I'll keep 'em busy.'

'Are you sure? Jack, this is not something you have to do,' William questioned.

'I'm sure. When you've led the kind of life I have, there are debts that must be paid. Maybe I can balance the scales a little.'

William nodded, and handed Jack his sword. Jack had two, one for each hand. Elizabeth gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

'I'm not going,' Mags said. 'I'm staying with you.'

'But, Mags, Hector,' Jack hesitated.

'I don't care.'

'Mags,' William said, extending a hand. She shook her head and he and Elizabeth raced away, and were gone.

'Mags, are y'alright?' Jack grabbed his sister's hand.

She turned to him, her eyes wide. 'Its hard, Jack. So hard.'

'I know. I'll keep ye safe.'

'That's not like to happen.'

'I'll do my best.'

'Thank ye.'

The group of pirates busted through the gold, cutlasses drawn, ready to fight, but Jack raised his hand.

'Palulay, palu-li-la-la-lulu, parlili, uh, parsnip, paisley, par, uh, partner, partner-'

'Parlay?' the other pirate asked.

'Parlay! That's the one. Parlay! Parlay!'

'Jack, what are ye doing?' Mags asked quietly, but still panicked.

'Parlay? Down to the depths whatever man that thought up "parlay!" ' The pirate swore.

'That would be the French,' Jack unhelpfully added. 'I know what I'm doing,' he said to Mags.

'Do ye?' she questioned as she felt the pull towards Hector get stronger and stronger as the two pirates walked them to see the Captain.

Jack and Mags walked in the middle of the group of pirates back into the extensive caverns. No one spoke a word, and no one seemed to realize that the woman they were escorting was Mags, Hector's lover.

When they approached the Captain, his eyes alighted on Mags. His eyes grew wide, and she broke out of the group, and sprinted past the outstretched arms trying to stop her. For the first time in many years, she relinquished herself to the power of the magic binding her to Hector Barbossa and he to her. He opened his arms wide and she crashed into his chest, inhaling his unique, salty scent.

'Oh Magpye,' he breathed. 'Why did you run?'

'I don't know.' It was true. Surrounded by her lover, she couldn't remember the point of leaving since it felt so right just there.

'Don't be leavin' me again,' he whispered. 'I can't bare it.'

'Aye,' she smiled. He brought her face up for a deep kiss, one of longing and passion, before breaking away to deal with his lover's brother. He turned to Jack, one hand on Mags' hip protectively. Jack stood before Barbossa, surrounded by pirates. Jack covered up his frown for his sister's misfortunes with a wide smile, and Barbossa didn't like it.

'How the blazes did you get off that island?'

'When you marooned me on that godforsaken spit of land, ye forgot one very important thing, mate,' the former Captain looked at his mutinous first mate and smirked. 'I'm Captain Jack Sparrow.'

'Ah, well, I won't be making that mistake again. Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow?' The pirates nodded hesitantly. 'Kill him.' The crew obediantly pointed their weapons at Jack.

'Hector!!' Mags clutched at her lover's arm.

'The girl's blood didn't work, did it?' Jack stalled for time.

'Hold yer fire!' Jack wasnt sure if it was his words or Mags' that stopped the pirate.

'I know whose blood ye need.' Jack admitted.

Barbossa looked at his former Captain warily. 'Give me the name.'

'What, for nothin'?'

'Allow me the joy of listening to yer terms.' Hector kissed the top of Magpye's head.

'Simple. I have something ye want more than anything, aside from my sister.' Jack gagged a bit. 'The way to free ye from the curse of the treasure. But ye have something I want, more than anything.'

'The Pearl?' Barbossa laughed. 'Oh, that's fine. And just how do ye expect this to work?'

'Ye give me the Pearl. Then I tell ye who ye need.'

Hector stared at him, incredulous. 'That's yer offer? You, sailing away nice and pretty with the Black Pearl, and all I have is a name?'

'That's right.'

'I'm supposed to,' the Captain paused. 'Trust ye?'

The pirates laughed.

'I'm a man of my word,' Jack claimed. 'Ye see, I've got this honest streak in me, in its own way, a sort of curse.' He stared pointedly at Mags, but she didn't seem to get it. He sighed. 'Oh, and there's the fact that ye have no choice.'

'I'll torture it out of ye.' Hector grinned. Maypye called out his name, despairingly. No one heeded her, however.

'Ye left me on a desert island, what worse can you do?' Jack was still smiling, intentionally smug now. Barbossa saw his options dwindling, began to pace.

'Blast you! I'll throw ye in prison.' Mags seemed at least mildly happy at this prospect over the others.

'Wait as long as ye like,' Jack tested his mutinous first mate.

'Ye're setting me up for a double cross, ye with the ship, and me with nothing more than yer word!'

'Let's say I tell ye the wrong person. What would ye do?'

'Track ye down and -' He stopped. He couldn't kill Jack, what with his sister as his lover, and more toturing was out of the question. There was nothing he could do.

'And if I tell ye the truth, ye become mortal, and ye won't come near me because ye know I'd kill ye.'

Barbossa hesitated. The pirates were amazed at how the tide had turned; Barbossa had gone past considering the idea, and might've even done it.

'Jack, I don't trust ye, and that's a fact. Never trust a smiling man, ye can lay to that.'

'See, that's where we're different.' Jack grinned wider, if it was possible. 'I trust ye to do what it takes to get what ye want.' He thought back to the time when Tia Dalma granted them the spell to bind Mags to Hector forever. It took a lot from Hector to get it done, but he did it.

'Ye're playing this as close to the edge as any man, I'll give ye that,' Hector had a brilliant idea then, and he smiled. 'We might just have to sign articles, you and I. Jack, ye're a pirate at heart, that's certain.' He turned to address the pirate who had almost killed Jack. 'Pintel, set sail. If this fool plan is to work, we'll need the medallion, and that means catching the ship which brought 'em here.'

Jack was caught completely off guard. For the first time, his smile faded. 'What, ye don't have the medallion?' That was not factored into his plans.

'That fool woman took it. You be careful around her, Jack, she's pretty enough, but pure evil inside.'

'I'll watch my back.'

The group walked out of the caverns to the ship, and Barbossa and Jack escaped down to the Captain's cabin.

'Set sail!' Mags called, assuming the role of First Mate. 'Hoist the sails! We're tracking that ship!' Mags mind was still cloudy with magic from the bond between her and the undead Captain. But the more time Barbossa spent down in the cabin with Jack, the less cloudy her mind became. She swore to herself and wiped her mouth furiously.

As they approached the Interceptor, Mags scavenged around for a bit of charcoal. When she found some she quickly scratched out a message on her arm. "Take me away from Barbossa." Hopefully someone would see it at some point and rescue her.

'I be tellin' th' Captain we be comin' up on th' ship, Miss Sparrow,' a pirate told her.

'Yes, thank you,' Mags smiled absently; she was loosing focus again.

A minute later, Hector's arm was slung around her waist, and Mags couldn't remember why she'd been so anxious. Jack was quick behind them, and had taken notice of his sister's arm. He thought up a plan as quickly as he could.

'I'm having a thought here, Barbossa. What say we run up a flag of truce? I scurry over to the Interceptor, and I negotiate the return of yer medallion, eh? What say ye to that?'

'Now ye see, Jack , that's exactly the attitude that lost you the Pearl. People are easy to search when they're dead.' He turned to a member of his crew. 'Lock him in the brig.'

Turning back to the rest of te crew, Hector grinned. 'Haul on the main brace! Make ready the guns! And run out the sweeps!'

Suddenly the Interceptor stopped and swung around. 'What in the blazes?' Mags asked to no one in particular.

'They're clubhaulin'! Hard to port! Rack the starboard oars.' Barbossa was all Captain in that moment. He was getting that medallion back and freeing hmsrlf and his crew.

'Hard to port!' Mags called out. The ship turned obediently and the ships rested side by side.

'Fire!' Hector shouted, and a responding call was heard from the other ship. 'Raise yer colors ya bloomin' cockroaches! Hands, grapnels, at the ready. Prepare to board! Blast all to carcasses, men! Forward clear to the powder magazine. And the rest of ye, bring me the medallion!'

In the ensuing chaos, the Interceptor's mast fell down and several pirates crossed from the Black Pearl to the other ship.

Jack suddenly appeared from nowhere. 'Mags!' He grabbed her hand tight and dragged her to the edge of the boat.

'Just what d'ye think ye're doing, Jack?' she replied.

'Saving ye, from yer own curse!'

'Pardon?' Jack didn't answer, but instead grabbed his sister around the waist and then swung over to the British ship via a swinging rope.

Gibbs was there to great them. 'Jack! Mags!'

'Gibbs, lock my sister up below decks, would ya?'

'Pardon?'

'Please,' Mags' head was clearing again. 'Save me from myself. I'm beggin' ya.'

'O' course, lass.' The sparrow girl and the former British officer quickly ran down into the ship. When Gibbs proposed tying her up with a rope, Mags suggested a chain, something she couldn't break.

'Take my sword too, if ye would. Though I'd like it back when he's not around.' Gibbs nodded again and took her sword and then chained her to the underside of the stairs.

'Good luck,' Gibbs smiled gently and set off, determined to help Jack.

About an hour later, Gibbs came back. 'It doesn't look good, lass. Elizabeth's been thrown off the plank and Jack's soon to follow. They're headed for the island.'

'The island?'

'Aye. And Barbossa's like to take our crew on board. He's on a rampage looking for you.'

'Shit. I'm going after Jack.'

'Are ye sure, lass?'

'Aye.' Gibbs unchained her and gave her back her sword. Mags thanked him and clambered up the stairs and quickly dived off the Interceptor. She swam quickly in the direction of Jack's prison island, desperately keeping her mind off of Hector behind her.

When she hit the beach, no one was there. She staggered up the beach and into the tree line, and searched the withered grass for a concealed wooden trap door. Mags grinned to herself and helped herself to the rum she knew was stored there. Soon, she heard the two idiots arrive.

'A grand total of three days, all right?' Jack was saying. 'Last time, the rumrunners used this island as a cache. Came by, and I was able to barter a passage off. From the looks of things, they've long been out of business. Probably have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that.'

'So that's it then? That's the secret grand adventure of the infamous Jack Sparrow? You spent three days lying on a beach, drinking rum?' Elizabeth yelled. Mags took this as the opportune time to show up with enough rum for the three of them.

'Welcome to the Caribbean, love,' Mags grinned. The Lady screamed.

'Hello, Mags, dear,' Jack smiled.

'Hello, Jack.'

'You know her?' Elizabeth asked.

'It's been a while, love. I helped rescue you. I'm Jack's sister.'

'What?'

'Hello!' Mags wiggled her fingers at Elizabeth.

'Why are there two Sparrows?!'


	3. Book I, Part iii

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! Yo ho, yo ho, it's a pirates life for me!" Elizabeth and Mags skipped drunkenly around a fire made of half-dried would and a wee bit of rum.

"I LOVE this song!" Jack yelled. "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! We're beggars and blighters-"

"Ne'er do well cads," Mags continued. "Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"

"Aye but we're loved by our mums and our dads."

"Drink up me hearties, yo ho!" Elizabeth laughed and took another sip from her bottle of rum.

"When I get the Black Pearl back, I'm going to teach it to the whole crew, and we'll sing it all the time! And we'll go where we want to go! The whole ocean, the whole world. That's what a ship is, you know. Not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails. That's what a ship needs but what a ship is," he paused drunkenly. "What the Black Pearl really is, is freedom."

"To freedom." Mags lifted her bottle for another swig.

"To the Black Pearl," her brother added. They tapped the bottles together. Elizabeth feigned a drink as they chugged.

~~

Mags woke the next morning to the smell of smoke. She opened her eyes to reveal a pillar of smoke rising hundreds of feet into the air, smelling of burning wood and burnt rum.

"What in Davvy Jones' Locker is this?" She sat up to see Elizabeth grinning triumphantly.

Jack woke to the same predicament as his sister. "What are you doing? You've burned all the food, the shade, the rum!"

"Yes, the rum is gone." The Lady smiled wider.

"Why?"

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high, which means it can be seen for two hundred leagues in every direction. The entire Royal Navy is out to sea looking for me.

"There isn't even a chance they could miss it." Mags finished, catching on. She kicked at a burning branch.

"Just you wait, Miss Sparrow. In an hour, maybe two, keep a 'weathered eye open' and you'll be seeing white sails on that horizon!" Elizabeth sat down, determined. She shielded her eyes, scanned the water, waiting, searching.

Mags rubbed a hand across her face, defeated and lay back down to sleep away the indeterminable wait.

Jack threw up his hands, and stalked up a sand dune, to get away from both women. One happy, and one sad. The usual. As he reached the top, Jack stopped and stared, incredulous. Anchored the other side of the island, white sails glorious against the turquoise waters, was the H.M.S. Dauntless. A longboat was already on its way. Jack shook his head.

"They're here!" He called.

"Seven Hells." Mags swore. "We'll be matching again, brother!"

"Iron suits neither ye nor me, Mags." Jack made his way back down to sit with his sibling. When the boat came around, they all piled into the boat, Elizabeth more gently than the Sparrows. When they reached the H.M.S. Dauntless, Commodore Norrington gave Elizabeth a hand disembarking from the raised long boat.

"Elizabeth," he paused, looking lovingly into her eyes. She gazed back. "I'm relieved you're safe."

"Thank you, Commodore," she replied.

The Commodore looked to the other two guests, and, upon recognizing Jack, ordered him into chains. "And behind his back this time."

Mags spoke up, putting on a lower class British accent. "Commodore, you can't do that!"

"Who are you?"

"No one, but m'Lady's serving maid, m'Lord."

"Then how dare you speak to me in this way!"

"But, m'Lord, this despicable pirate can locate Isla de Muerta, but I doubt he'll be willing to help us from the prison."

"She's right. We had time to get to know each other." Jack added, not unhelpfully.

"We are bound for Port Royal, not the Isla de Muerta." The Commodore turned away.

"The pirates have taken Mr Turner-" Elizabeth started.

"The Governor is frantic with worry. Our mission was to rescue you and return home. That is what we shall do. Mr. Turner's fate is regrettable. But so was his decision to engage in piracy."

"M'Lord! He's not a pirate! He's my, uh," Mags made a quick decision. "He's my fiancé, m'Lord! Commodore, please!" They had to save William. He hadn't really wanted to become a pirate, only to rescue the Lady. And now that she was rescued, it seemed only right to take him home as well.

"Norrington, think about it, the Black Pearl, its captain and crew; the last pirate threat in the Caribbean. How can you pass that up?"

"By remembering that I serve others, not only myself." The Commodore was a proud, stiff man, capable of infinite about of stubborn will.

"Commodore, I beg you, please do this, for me. As a wedding gift." Elizabeth, too, sensed the right in rescuing William Turner.

"I am to understand that you will accept my marriage proposal on the condition I rescue Mr. Turner?" The Commodore seemed a little put out that this was the only way Elizabeth was to accept him.

"Dear God, no! Not as a condition, a request. You must know that I truly do want to marry you."

The Commodore smiled, finally content. He turned towards his lieutenant. "Free Mister Sparrow, and prepare to come about. He'll give you our heading."

Lieutenant Gillette unlocked Jack's manacles.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Congratulations, sir." Commodore Norrington nodded his head before dismissing the pirate to the bridge.

"You may seclude yourself in my cabin, for your safety. I'm afraid we do not have any ladies' clothing aboard." Norrington took one of Elizabeth's hands in both of his. "Your serving wench will attend you."

"I can wear men's clothing." Elizabeth fired back.

"That would hardly be proper."

"Well, I am not going to stay hidden in a some cabin, so I suppose it's going to be heaving bosoms and bare ankles for the remainder of the voyage!"

"M'Lady!" Mags said, sensing it is the right thing to say. Norrington looked at her, exasperated, but then couldn't help but grin, this was exactly why he loved her. She grinned back at him, trusting in their love.

"Murtogg, take our guest below, and find her some trousers, and a shirt. Her maid seems to have already adapted." Mags attempted a curtsey but failed miserably. The Commodore gave her an odd look before dismissing the two ladies below decks.

The day passed, and Elizabeth frolicked about above decks, relishing in her freedom. Mags had long ago given up on her charade of following her around, and instead set out to find her brother. Jack was at the rail, waiting, pretending to look out to sea.

"You didn't tell Commodore Norrington everything."

"Nor did you, I noticed."

"He might delay the rescue, and then we would be too late."

"Exactly."

Before Mags could ask what he meant, a shout of 'Land ho!' cut through the noise. The Isla de Muerta lay dark and menacing on the horizon. Elizabeth joined the siblings for a better look. But she was only there for a moment before Norrington stopped her.

"Elizabeth, below decks. I will not compromise your safety." Elizabeth nodded and was escorted away by Gilette. "And you, maid, below, please."

"About that, Commodore," Mags replied, her normal voice prevalent.

"I know, you're Jack's sister. You are two peas in a pod. Plus, I might add, you're wearing a sword, and your ears are covered in gold. Stolen, I would assume. Still, I won't have you above decks. Your fiancé would have my head."

"My what?" Mags registered quickly. "Of course, but, as you say, sir, I have a sword. I'm as good as my brother."

"Fine," Norrington finally agreed. "I don't like the situation, Mister Sparrow. The island is riddled with caves. I will not put my men at a disadvantage."

"Funny, I was thinking along those lines. How about you let me go in alone-"

"And me. I go with him." Before either men could say anything, she glared them down. "Not a word. I go, or no one goes."

"Alright, Mags, just don't come crying to me." Jack glanced at her worriedly before continuing. "Commodore, while you're setting up an ambush, I'll trick the pirates out to you."

"You would do that?" he asked.

"They left me stranded. Twice. What have you got to lose?"

"Nothing I wouldn't be pleased to be rid of." Mags threw a black look at the Englishman, but it wasn't just him she was angry at. She wasn't looking forward to seeing Hector again. Jack merely smiled, pleased with his manipulation. Soon, a long boat was prepared to be lowered over the side. Jack wrapped his pistol securely in an oilskin pouch while Mags straightened her bandana and shivered.

"That chart I drew up'll get you past the reefs. If you're steersman's good enough, that is."

The Commodore grunted. "I'll be at the wheel myself."

"We'll slip in, talk them into to come out, and you'll be free to blow holy high heaven the whole lot of them." Jack smiled.

"Please do." Mags added the first words she'd uttered since demanding to go with them. The crewmen released the lines, and the boat dropped. They travelled the same way as they had done with William. With a small splash they landed in the lagoon, and together, the siblings moved silently through the caves, and into a ravine. From above, they heard the conversation of the pirates, and Mags felt the unmistakable pull.

"Careful, now. Ye could fall in and still be wonder'n when ye'll hit dirt." It was Barbossa. There was a scuffle and a couple of grunts before William spoke up.

"You deserve to be cursed, and remain cursed!" There was silence.

"Blast him! A pox on him, and his father, and the whole damnable line! Fan out! Find him!" It was Barbossa again. There was the sound of running in the cave. Suddenly, William came out of no where and smacked right into Mags. He backed off, but held her by the upper arms.

"I'm so sorry, Mags." He looked as though he were about to say something more, but he said said nothing. Mags had enough of the staring and acted upon Jack's compass' directions. She leaned up, quickly pecked William on the lips and stalked off, feeling deeply conflicted. "Mags?"

"Don't talk," Jack was angry. At whom? He wasn't sure. "These caves magnify sound. Just follow me."

As they walked, William drew close to Mags. "That wasn't a real kiss, you know." She didn't reply.

Jack led the trio out of a narrow passage, and stopped, staring.

"Are you certain this is the right way?" Will asked.

"It's the right way." Mags peeked over Jack's shoulder just before she ran out to find Hector. William joined him and saw what Jack was staring at. Treasure piled on treasure, sparkling, glowing, seemingly endless. At the center was the moonlit clearing, and the stone Aztec chest, filled to the brim with the cursed gold. "Thank you, Jack Sparrow." The two men jumped and spun around, to see Hector Barbossa, clutching the Sparrow girl. He was flanked by pirates, and when the duo turned back around, they discovered that they were, in fact, surrounded. The pirates laughed and then grabbed Will and Jack, their dirty hands grasping whatever they could, dragging and pulling. William put up a fight, but Jack did not. "You couldn't have led him back more directly if you knew exactly where you were going." He laughed, and moved toward the stone chest. The pirates followed, dragging William and Jack with them.

"You did know where you were going! You did lead us directly to them!" William was furious, he had thought that maybe Jack and he were on the same side, but here was the proof that pirates were no good back-stabbers. Why else would Mags kiss him, lighting such a fire in his chest, and then join her lover's side once more? Jack remained silent. "Why?"

Jack looked away as William was manhandled toward the chest. Barbossa stepped up to him through and into the moonlight, his skeletal form showing true. Mags followed him, also turning into a skeleton. Jack gawked at his sister, having never seen her like that before. Hector put the medallion around Will's neck and picked up the stone knife.

"What was begun by blood, let blood now end!" He called.

There was a quiet 'no' that left Mags' lips, but she wasn't sure why. William heard and looked at her, but her eyes were directed at Hector and seemed full to bursting with love. Hector raised the knife to William's throat before Jack finally stepped in and told him that the British were waiting in the Harbour.

"And its guns and crew will cut you and your men to pieces the moment you step outside these caves."

William made indignant noises as the pirate crew mumbled to themselves. Finally, one spoke up.

"Do ye believe him?"

"I believe the Turner boy." Barbara gestured at William, who was standing near the chest, looking at Mags, trying to figure out her new, quiet, non-resistant personality.

Jack, however, blazed on, formulating plans in his head, and just as quickly chucking them. "Ye've no hope of surviving Norrington's attack, that is, if you're mortal."

"What're ye suggesting?"

"He's saying, love, that if you waited to break the curse, the British could kill you all they'd like, but you wouldn't die." Mags stoked Hector's beard.

Jack nodded and shook off the hands holding him, and strolled over to Barbossa, Will, and the chest of coins. "Wait for a more opportune moment. Don't kill the boy just yet." Will glared at him, listening to every word he said. Jack scooped up a handful of coins from the chest. "Like after ye've killed," he dropped a coin back into the chest. "Every," another. "Last," again."One," the final coin. "Of Norrington's men."

"I can't help wondering, Jack, why ye're being so helpful and all? Last time you did that, it didn't end so well for ye." Hector, pulled Mags closer.

"The situation has changed."

"That so?"

"Aye. See, after ye're done with the Royal Navy, ye'll have a bit of a problem: the H.M.S. Dauntless. There ye'll be, with two lovely ships on yer hands, and what to do? Of course ye'll decide ye deserve the bigger one, and who's to argue? The Dauntless is a first-rate ship-of-line, and with it, ye can rule the seas." Jack paused and grinned. "But if ye're Captain of the Dauntless, who's left for the Black Pearl? Me. I sail for ye as part of yer fleet, I give ye fifteen percent of my plunder, and ye get to introduce yourself at tea parties and brothels as 'Commodore Barbossa.'" Jack stuck out his hand to shake. "Do we have an accord?"

Barbara said nothing, thinking. The offer was tempting, certainly. An it was an almost-flawless plan. The only flaw was that Jack, of all creatures, had come up with it.

Jack, sensing his hesitation ploughed on. "Now, ye can take care of the Dauntless, right?"

Barbossa grinned. Screw who came up with it. Commodore Barbossa was going to win in the end. "Men! Are ye up for it?" The pirates yelled to the affirmative. "Mr. Pintel, select five men to stay here. Take the rest of the men out, but not through the caves." Jack's expression faltered. Yet again, Barbossa had messed up his carefully thought-out plans.

"There's another exit?"

"Aye, for us there is."

"Shit," Jack had not remembered that his entire crew were undead, thereby making them waterproof. The pirates all left, save the five and the Captain himself.

Hector turned to Mags. "Please stop running away, my darlin'. I hate it when ye do."

"I do too." She replied, and then the Captain kissed her, hard. Jack glared at the two, before turning back to William's glare.

"You've been planning this from the beginning. Since you learned my name." Jack took Barbossa's distraction as an opportunity to move toward him. The other pirates were trying not to look at their captain.

"Oh, please, do I really seem that clever?" Before Will could answer, Jack smoothly slipped a sword from one of the Pirate's scabbard's and tossed it to Will, who caught it despite his surprise. "Use it well." He drew his own sword and clobbered the pirate, he dropped to the floor, causing Barbossa and Mags to stop and look at Jack.

"Confound it, Jack, I was actually beginning to like ye!" Swords drawn, the pirates attacked. Jack and Will took on multiple opponents, each with his own style. Will parried, glissaded and disarmed lightning fast and with perfect form, Mags could not help but stare as he danced through the battle. Jack used his blade, fists, acrobatics and anything within reach to survive, graceful, in his own way, but distinctly pirate.

The fight turned almost comical, led into the moonlight by William, four pirates had a pole shoved through them all, making a human kebab. William shoved them down a ravine, out of all light, let alone that of the moon. Only two pirates were left then; Barbossa and another pirate. The crew member rounded on Will as Barbossa took on Jack.

Mags watched from the sidelines, confused as to whom to fight. Her magical tie to Barbossa could not break the real tie to family - Tia Dalma had warned them of that. There was William to consider too. Mags knew that should she not be under a spell, she would fall for the British blacksmith, hard and fast. And so, as the three people she loved most in the world fought, Mags sank down to her knees, a tear escaping an eyelid. The pain was real, three, separate and true threads, each one unbreakable in that moment, tearing her heart into three pieces.

Jack and Barbossa continued on a conversation as they duelled, each trying to distract the other, when, suddenly, Jack was weaponless and a sword was plunged through his torso. William smashed his pirate in the jaw, crumpling him.

"Jack!" Both William and Mags called out at the same time. Their eyes connected, and for a moment, her familial thread diminished the magical, and William saw her true feelings. They turn back to Sparrow, who stumbled backwards in shock, into the moonlight. Mags ran over quickly, and joined her brother in the cursed light, both skeletal.

"When?" Mags asked, a whisper heard by none.

"Well, isn't that interesting." He held one hand up by his face, an Aztec coin flitting between his fingers, slight of hand that only worked with flesh. Jack pulled his sword from his chest. "They're so pretty, I just couldn't resist stealing one." He looked Barbossa dead in the eyes and pushed his sister at William. "It's a curse, I guess."

Barbossa snarled, this was no time to be joking, in his opinion. He grabbed his own sword, and rushed Jack. Both men were in moonlight, two skeletons in pitched battle.

"So what now, Jack Sparrow? Are we to be two immortals, locked in epic battle until the trumpets of Judgment Day?" Hector taunted.

"Or ye could surrender." Barbossa snorted. Jack shoved Barbossa back, out of the moonlight. Barbossa stalked the room, his attention focused on Jack. Mags was huddled into William's arms, her heart torn once again.

"Or I could chain ye to a cannonball and drop ye in the deepest part of the ocean, where ye can contemplate your folly forever. And take my woman back from yer boy." Barbossa charged but a shot rang out, and Mags' heart lurched as the bullet entered the Captain's flesh. She flung herself out of William's arms, but didn't make it far, before she crumpled to the ground, a sobbing mess. Jack stood out of the moonlight, flesh and blood again, holding his smoking pistol, still aimed at Barbossa. "Hah. Ten years ye carried that pistol, and ye end up wasting yer shot."

"He didn't waste it." William stood over the Aztec chest, holding a bloody sword, his left hand in a fist. He opened the fist, both medallions, glinting and shining red, dropped from his hand, revealing the cut in his palm.

Barbossa stared, then looked down at his chest. Mags couldn't breathe, the thread was tearing and it was unbelievably painful. Blood blossomed on Hector's shirt around the bullet hole, spreading quickly. Barbossa clutched his chest, his face registering pain for the first time in years.

"Mags," his voice came out hoarse, a dead man's dying breath. Mags sobbed on the ground before passing out, as Barbossa fell heavily to the ground, dead. William rushed over to her, stroking her face, a deeper understanding growing in his soul. Jack blew the smoke from the barrel of his pistol and tossed it away.

Mags came to, breathing heavily, her head fully clear for the first time in years. She raised her eyes to the man's face above her, and stoked his stubbled jaw, tracing worth she hadn't felt in years. Unthinking, William put one had by her head and another on her waist, leaning in for a kiss. He hissed in pain when his open wound touched her dirty shirt. In silence, Mags untucked her now bloodstained linen shirt and tore off the bottom. She ripped it into bands before wrapping it around his palm. Smiling, the two get up and join Jack near the Aztec chest.

"Well, you're the worst pirate I've ever heard of." William grinned. "You're a man who can be trusted, who can be counted on, and who cannot betray his friends. What kind of pirate is that?"

"The worst." Mags smiled, relief glowing on her face. Teasing her brother was just one of the ways Jack knew she was back.

"On the other hand, maybe I'm a man who can't pass up a chance for revenge against the black-hearted bastard who stole my ship and left me to die in the middle of the ocean - twice! - and who knows how to get what he wants." He flicked his sister's forehead, leaving a small red mark. "Now that's a great pirate."

"Thank the seven seas that's over." Mags stared at the cave entrance. "Let's get out of here."

The three ran out of the cursed cave and onto the beach where the Commodore waited for them.

"Elizabeth is missing. What happened to her?" Norrington's voice is terse, cut short and flat. As if on cue, a rowboat landed on shore and the Lady clambered out.

"You're all right!" The four turn as one. Who did she mean? It certainly wasn't Mags, Elizabeth still didn't know who she was, so she crossed her arms and waited for the drama to be over. Elizabeth raced across the sand, toward them and straight to Norrington. She threw her arms around his neck in a hug. William took a stumbling step backward, shocked after everything he did for her, she wouldn't care. Jack sighed and looked at Mags. She merely shrugged, both of them ignoring William's hurt.

"Miss Swann, are you wearing trousers? And how did you get off the island?" William said the only things he can think of to say. Elizabeth couldn't believe that's what he noticed. Indignant, she turned toward him.

"Yes, I am wearing trousers. And as for how we got off the island, can't you see Commodore Norrington? We're getting married." The Commodore nodded to them all and then offered his arm to Elizabeth.

"Congratulations, Mr Turner, I hadn't realized you were also engaged. A more suitable choice, perhaps, than the Governor's daughter, although still, I disapprove." The Commodore sneered and took Elizabeth back to the H.M.S. Dauntless to return to Port Royal.

"I'm sorry, William," Mags said quietly, acknowledging his loss.

"Will," he replied, Jack, noticing the private moment, walked away.

"Sorry?"

"Most people call me Will."

"But William's much more exciting." She smiled crookedly and stepped toward him. She reached a hand behind his neck, and decisively kissed him. "There. And don't you dare tell me that wasn't a proper kiss!"

"Mags, I think it doesn't matter- that we are of different lives -"

"It shouldn't."

"- but that was not a proper kiss."

"How do you mean, I don't -"

"This is a proper kiss." Will swept her into his arms, leaned her back, and kissed her long and well, she replied with equal force, fires alighting on the new thread tying their hearts together. The kiss was rough, equal parts bird and blacksmith, agile and fiery.


	4. Book I, Part iv

"Jack Sparrow," The military official read off a long scroll. Jack himself stood on the gallows, awaiting his imminent hanging. "Be it known that you have -"

"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow!" He called, interrupting the ceremony.

"William, why does he have to be such a ridiculous pillock?" Mags stood beside the blacksmith, he in a red coat and an over-large brown with a decidedly oversized red feather stuck into it and she in a pale blue skirt, a low-cut linen top and, if you asked William, a rather fetching straw bonnet. They stood in the crowd watching the pirate hang.

"Does he have a reason for anything, Maggie?" He smiled down at her. The official droned on.

"Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited herewith; piracy, smuggling -"

Far away from the crowd, but still watching the proceedings, the Lady Elizabeth stood with her father and future husband.

"This is wrong," she said. After all, it was Jack who rescued her. Well, he and William, but the blacksmith wasn't about to be hanged.

"Commodore Norrington is bound by the law. As are we all," her father replied, his voice sad. He too wished for the pirate to go free, just this once.

"- impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England, sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul."

"That sounds like the end, careful, Maggie." William smiled at the woman beside him, before striding off. He approached the Commodore and his future family. "Governor Swann . Commodore. My Lady, I should have told you every day from the moment I met you that I loved you. But alas, now, I do not, and you are to be married to someone else." As he walked away, the noose was put around Jack's neck.

Elizabeth looked at his retreating figure, perplexed. And then she noticed a rather colourful parrot, and realized it was time for her to play her small part. "I can't breathe." She fell backward, clutching her chest as if her bodice was laced too tightly. The drum started, signalling the pirate's imminent death.

"Elizabeth." Both the Commodore and her father helped her back up.

"Move!" William threw his sword through the crowd, parting men and women, as Jack fell through the platform to hang, the rope around his neck quickly growing tighter, and the sword landed firmly in the wooden scaffolding, high enough to act as the brace he needed to stand and not choke. Mags ripped her skirt off to reveal brown trousers and her sturdy knee-high boots, and chased William through the crowd, handing him another sword to cut her brother free.

Jack leaped off the flimsy footrest, pulling the noose from around his neck. He took the sword from the wooden support and joined his partners in crime. The three fought past the crowd, trying not to kill anyone as they were pressed backwards by Royal Navy men, fighting while climbing stairs backward all the way up to a tower where they were finally cornered. The three stood back-to-back-to-back and spun around inside the circle of English Military, the rebels running their swords over the tips of British bayonets.

The Commodore himself pushed through the ring of soldiers and shook his head at them. "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt but not from you, Mr Turner."

"On our return to Port Royal , I granted you clemency." The Governor had joined the group, huffing as he was not the young spritely man he used to be. He was astonished at the rudeness of his blacksmith. "And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He's a pirate! And you, Miss Sparrow, a lady such as yourself!"

"You forget, Governor, sir, that I am no Lady." Mags smiled. "I, and my brother, are pirates."

"And he is a good man." William gripped Mags by the waist possessively as Jack smiled, pleased with himself. "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner," the Commodore snarled.

"It's right here, between you and the Sparrows."

"As is it should be. Hang them. Hang them all." Elizabeth smiled, pleased that she could show herself faithful to the British cause.

"Elizabeth!" Jack said, shocked.

"I risked my freedom for you, my lady. I risked my life, my own hard-earned freewill for you. And this, this is how you repay me? This!" Mags was furious, downright angry. Sure, Mags was a pirate, but she had honour.

"Who are you?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

"I told you, on that night you got pissed drunk on pirate rum. The night you kissed my brother, the night I saved your precious virtue."

"Elizabeth! Lower your weapons. For goodness' sake put them down!" Her father was appalled. The soldiers hesitantly put them down.

"Is this true?" The Commodore was hurt.

"It is." Mags was ruthless. "You, of course, can't blame my brother. He's a ruthless pirate, he wouldn't know any better. I, on the other hand, being of the fairer sex, knew what a disgrace it would be to Elizabeth to no longer be virtuous. So I stopped it. You owe me more than a hanging. William and Jack together rescued your daughter so you owe them more than a hanging too."

"You forget your place, Miss Sparrow." The Commodore was furious. This was the reason women shouldn't be allowed to drink, he thought. They can hardly make good, important decisions when sober, so drunk was a terrifying prospect.

"No, Commodore, the pirate girl is right." The Governor sighed.

Jack noticed cotton's parrot flying above them and grinned to himself. "Well! I'm actually feeling rather good about this." He turned to Elizabeth's father. "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically?" And then to Norrington. "Congratulations again. Sorry I almost ruined her. Elizabeth, it would never have worked between us, darling. I'm sorry."

"It was your idea!" She shouted indignantly.

"Will, nice hat. Mags, you know." He smiled. He swaggered over to the edge of the platform, just beside the wall that protected him from the cliffside breakers below. "Friends! This is the day that you will always remember as the day that -" His sentence was cut off by him falling over the battlement he stood in front of. Everyone rushed over to see him land in the ocean and then get hauled up onto the deck of the Black Pearl. Mags and William stayed behind. They knew where to find him should they need him.

"Idiot. He has nowhere to go but back to the noose." It was Gilette, Norrington's lieutenant. As they sailed away, he became more agitated. "What's your plan of action? Sir?"

"Perhaps on the rare occasion pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course?" The Governor smiled. Norrington rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Mr. Turner, Miss Sparrow." The Commodore was a predator. His eyes were dark and unreadable as he drew his sword, the very sword that William had made for him. The sword which had been presented to him on they day that they had both met Captain Jack Sparrow.

"I will accept the consequences of my actions." William was still nervous about his forth-coming execution. As blasé as he had been, he did not wish to die by the hangman's noose.

"This is a beautiful sword. I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and good judgement in every aspect of his life." Norrington sheathed the sword, annoyed that he could not destroy all piracy single-handedly.

"Thank you."

"I expect no news from either of you, or you will both be hanged before you can say Captain Jack Sparrow." The two nodded, trying not to laugh.

"Commodore! What about Sparrow?" Gillette was still there, gazing off at the sea, trying to keep track of the famed Black Pearl.

"Well, I think we can afford to give him one day's head start, Gilette." The Commodore turned around with military precision and took the soldiers with him. "My congratulations, again, Mr Turner."

"I wish you both best of luck," the Governor offered his arm to his daughter. "Come, Elizabeth, you've a wedding to plan."

Once alone, William turned to Mags.

"I don't understand."

"What is it, William?"

"Everyone keeps congratulating me or wishing me luck. What have I done?"

"Oh, sorry about that." Mags grinned and sprinted down the battlements.

"Maggie!" He called, right behind her. "What did you do?"

She laughed. "Said we were engaged!"

"Maggie!! I'll send you down to meet Davvy Jones!"

"You're coming with me, Will!"


End file.
